Treadmill

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a treadmill ( 1 ) in which the running board ( 2 ) may be attached at the rear, while the portion designed for the actual performance of the exercise is cushioned by resilient elements ( 33 ) that may have an undulating surface positioned substantially perpendicular to the direction of cushioning; moreover, the present invention allows the treadmill ( 1 ) to respond to the force created following the impact of the user&#39;s feet with various values, according to the change in the resistance offered by the cushioning means ( 3; 3′; 3 ″).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a treadmill which can be used inparticular for exercise or rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND ART

In the exercise and rehabilitation equipment sector, machines designedto allow the user to perform aerobic exercises which “simulate” givensports or physical activities have become increasingly important, bothfor muscular training and for improving cardiovascular condition andgeneral physical well-being.

For example, there are stationary machines that allow the user toperform exercises substantially comparable to riding a bicycle, climbingstairs or walking or running. The present invention relates to atreadmill, designed to allow the user to walk or run on the spot.

Machines of the afore-mentioned type use various types of devices in anattempt to recreate as faithfully as possible the actual reaction of themeans with which the human body interacts, so that the exerciseperformed in the gym is as similar as possible to that of the activityin question. In simulating physical activity, especially in modernmachines, every effort has been made to emphasise the positive aspectsof the exercise and limit any disadvantages, so that the training orrehabilitation results in the user obtaining the benefits of thespecific exercise, as far as possible limiting any negativecharacteristics involved in performing the exercise.

In the case of the example relative to the present invention, theathletic movement involved in walking and running is simulated thanks tothe presence of a belt moved on pulleys and which moves in the oppositedirection to that which would be followed by the treadmill user whenactually performing the corresponding exercise.

One of the main disadvantages of walking and, to a greater degree,running is the shock to the body of the walker or runner caused by thereaction of the ground under foot; in other words, especially on hardsurfaces, the reaction of the ground can negatively influence theexercise and in some cases causes tendon, joint and other types ofpathologies.

The above-mentioned disadvantage is also encountered on treadmills ofthe known type. In such machines, at least in the zone designed forperformance of the exercise (that is to say, the zone on which the userwalks or runs) there is a board that supports the belt when a force isexerted on the latter by the user.

Given that they must support the belt, the boards normally used are madeof rigid material. For this reason, when, during exercise, the userexerts a force on the belt-board assembly, the corresponding reactionsmay prove damaging since they are insufficiently cushioned.

In order to limit any negative effects, technical development in theexercise machine sector has contributed to the application ofmodifications to the board zone, attempting to dampen the reaction ofthe belt to the force exerted by the user.

Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,066 describes a treadmill in which a set ofhollow elements with variable volume and with valves designed to definea sort of air cushion is applied to the board. When used, the forceexerted on the board by the user and the consequent response aredampened thanks to this air cushion.

Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,772 describes treadmills in which resilientelastomer elements are envisaged between the base and the beltsupporting board.

The reaction of the treadmill is proportional to a constant, invariablevalue. This means that it is impossible to vary the treadmill's responseaccording to the type of exercise to be performed, substantiallyobtaining responses that are always the same for equal forces exerted.

This is a disadvantage since, with elements that have a “fixed”reaction, meaning that it is impossible to vary the elastic constantrelative to the treadmill's response, it is impossible to set exercisesaccording to important parameters, such as those listed below. Theseparameters, which may vary greatly, may comprise the user's physique,gait, pronation, degree of fitness, the effects of having warmed up, anyproblems linked to pathologies, etc.

Another attempt to overcome this disadvantage is that proposed in U.S.Pat. No. 4,350,336, which describes a treadmill with a supporting boardhinged at one end of the treadmill structure, and a cushioning support,comprising rubber blocks and positioned beneath the board; the supportmay be moved lengthways under the board so as to vary the leverage valuedefined by the hinged board and, as a result, the value of thecontribution of the force exerted by the user. In other words, there isa sort of trampoline resting on a wedge defined by the cushioningsupport with fixed elastic constant and, in an attempt to obtain adifferent response to the action of the user, the contribution of theaction itself is varied rather than the elastic reaction of the support;thus, with reference to the lever formed by the trampoline, the point inwhich the resistance is exerted (elastic reaction of the support) ismoved, without changing the type of resistance offered.

The technical sector for treadmills is overcrowded with a large numberof technical solutions for specific aims and/or the production ofdetails.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is, on one hand, to overcome theabove-mentioned disadvantages and, on the other hand, to propose newsolutions, not comparable to technical problems relative to the priorart.

The present invention proposes a treadmill in which the running boardmay be attached at the rear, whilst the portion designed for performanceof the exercise is cushioned by resilient elements that may have anundulating surface, positioned substantially perpendicular to thedirection of cushioning and which are extremely advantageous, that is tosay, extremely functional, from a kinematic viewpoint.

Moreover, the present invention allows the treadmill to respond to theforce created following the impact of the user's feet with a responsehaving various values, according to the change in the resistance offeredby the cushioning means.

These cushioning means, which may be of different shapes and bepositioned in different zones between the board and the treadmillsupporting structure, have the distinctive characteristic of providingdifferent responses to the action of the user thanks to a variation inthe intrinsic reaction to the said cushioning means. In other words, thevariation in the reaction to the forces exerted on the treadmill is notdetermined by moving the cushioning means, but by a variation in theirtype of response to the stresses applied.

The technical characteristics of the present invention according to theabove-mentioned aims are clearly illustrated in the claims herein andits advantages are clearly shown in the description below, withreference to the accompanying drawings, which show a preferredembodiment and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of the presentinvention, with details not to scale;

FIG. 2 is a schematic rear view and top plan view of another embodimentof the present invention, with some parts cut away and with details notto scale;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of another embodiment of the presentinvention, with details not to scale;

FIG. 4 is a schematic top perspective view of another embodiment of thepresent invention, with some parts cut away and details not to scale;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of another embodiment of the presentinvention, with details not to scale;

FIG. 6 is a schematic partial side view of a detail of a possibleembodiment of the invention disclosed.

As indicated in the previous section of the present description, atreadmill made according to the present invention is of the type thatmay be used for exercise or rehabilitation.

The numeral 1 is used to label the treadmill as a whole, whilst thenumeral 13 is used to label some of the parts (illustrated with a dashedline), such as the treadmill housing, console and handrails, which arenot part of the present invention.

The base 10 of the treadmill 1 is designed to support a belt 4 operatedby drive means (for the purpose of clarity represented by the twopulleys 5 in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 and not illustrated in the remainingfigures), designed to drive the belt along a closed loop path.

Above this, along the path of the belt 4, is a zone Z for theperformance of an exercise. In this zone Z the belt moves at a speed Vand in a direction determined according to the exercise to be performed.

On the base 10, below the zone Z for performance of an exercise, is aboard 2 that supports the user on the belt 4. In other words, the boardsupports the user during the exercise.

In particular, with reference to the example in FIG. 4, the treadmill 1may have means which lock the board to the base 10 of the treadmill,said locking means located at the rear of the board 2.

At least two fixing elements 22 may be envisaged, for example, screws 22attached to rigid bushings 22′, operating perpendicular to the board 2.

At another zone of the board, that is to say, in the zone Z forperformance of the exercise, the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 hascushioning means comprising at least two resilient elements 33, whichextend lengthways, at the crossbars 11 on the lower section of the base10.

The resilient elements 33 are positioned parallel with the crossbars 11and act upon the board at its lateral edges.

As illustrated in the right-hand detail in FIG. 4, the resilientelements 33 may have an undulating surface 34 positioned substantiallyperpendicular to the direction of compression-cushioning; for example,the undulation may be envisaged on the upper surface 34, facing theboard 2.

This special “wave” shape of the resilient elements is particularlyeffective for the graduality offered in the reaction to the forceexerted by the user.

As shown in the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the treadmill 1 may alsoenvisage suitable elastic connecting means 19 between the board and thebase 10. These means may comprise a connecting element 19 made of amaterial which yields elastically, or shaped in such a way that saidyielding action is obtained, having a substantially “S”-shapedcross-section. The two tabs 19′ which constitute the two opposite endsof the element 19 are attached to each of the crossbars 11 and to arelative longitudinal edge of the board 2. The tabs 19′ may be fixed onthe board and crossbars directly, or indirectly, for example on theboard 2 side, by means of a sheet metal element which, when screwed ontothe lower portion of the board 2 clamps the corresponding tab 19′,fixing it to the board. Attachment of the crossbar 11 in FIG. 6 isillustrated schematically with a symbolic portion 11′ of the crossbaritself and a vertical axis Z designed to define the position of arelative rod-shaped fixing part, not illustrated.

In order to improve the response to stresses, the connecting element 19may have a hole 19″ that extends lengthways in its central portion.

As illustrated in the FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5, the board 2 on the treadmill1 disclosed may have the advantage of being equipped withvariable-reaction cushioning means, designed to allow a variation in thereaction of the treadmill 1 to the activities of the user.

These cushioning means may be made in various ways, and the accompanyingdrawings illustrate several examples.

With reference to the examples in FIGS. 1 and 2, the variable-reactioncushioning means may comprise a set of at least two resilient elementswith different elastic constants, which can be attached separately tothe board 2 according to the desired reaction force.

In particular, the resilient elements may be supported by a drum or aroller which turns about an axis of rotation Y, or they may form thedrum itself. In the examples, there are 3 resilient elements labelled 3a, 3 b and 3 c, separated by given angles from the axis of rotation Y,in such a way as to pass from the use of one to another by rotation ofsaid rotary drum. The three resilient elements may be made of elastomerswith different elastic constants in reaction to the mechanical stress.

Again with reference to the examples, the resilient elements may besupported by or may comprise two (or more) rotary drums. Each rotarydrum is supported by relative supporting means 12 integral with the base10; these supporting means may comprise, for example, brackets 12 thatsupport pins upon which the rotary drums turn. The drums may be turnedmanually or may be driven by drive means 30, designed to turn the drums(about axis Y), in such a way as to change the resilient element thatinteracts with the board 2 and, as a result, change the reaction offeredby the treadmill.

The rotary drums may be positioned across the direction of feed V of thebelt 4, as illustrated in the example in FIG. 1, or parallel with saiddirection, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

In the example in FIG. 3, the cushioning means 3″ comprise at least ahydraulic or pneumatic cylinder with variable compressibility, obviouslyconnected to and controlled by a control panel by means of a suitablecircuit (the control panel and circuit are not illustrated). In thiscase, the different reaction to the action of the user that can beprovided by the treadmill may be obtained by a fluid variation withinthe cylinders 3′.

In the example illustrated, two cylinders 3″ are envisaged below theboard 2 and directly supported by the base 10.

The rotary drums previously indicated may also have similar automaticprogramming, by connecting suitable processing means 6 to the drivemeans 30, as illustrated in the schematic example in FIG. 2.

Using dedicated software programs, it will, therefore, be possible tomake the reaction offered by the treadmill similar to that of the mostsuitable surface for the exercise to be performed, thus improving thepositive effects of the training and/or rehabilitation.

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of another embodiment of thetreadmill disclosed.

This embodiment envisages the coupling of the fixing means 22 whichattach the rear portion of the board 2, to cushioning means of the typedescribed relative to the examples illustrated in the FIGS. 1 to 3.

In fact, a drum 3 equipped with the above-mentioneddifferentiated-reaction resilient elements may be envisaged, or acylinder 31″, or a further drum 35, illustrated in the right-handdetail. In this case, the resilient elements 3 d comprise substantiallywedge-shaped portions of the drum 35 which rotates about the axis ofrotation Y. As the drum rotates about the axis, the wedge-shapedportions 3 d allow the positioning between the board and base ofdifferent thicknesses of resilient element, with consequent differentreactions to the stresses applied.

The invention described can be subject to modifications and variationswithout thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept.Moreover, all the details of the invention may be substituted bytechnically equivalent elements.

What is claimed is:
 1. A treadmill for use by a user for at least one of exercise and rehabilitation, comprising: a base; a movable belt forming a closed loop path, the belt being supported above the base, wherein the movable belt has an upper surface upon which the user performs at least one of exercise and rehabilitation; a drive assembly for driving the belt; a pair of parallel crossbars; a support member located beneath at least a portion of the movable belt for supporting the user, wherein the support member extends substantially parallel to the pair of parallel crossbars; a mounting assembly for locking a rear end of the support member to the pair of parallel crossbars, wherein the mounting assembly includes at least two fixing elements acting perpendicular to the support member; and a cushioning assembly for cushioning the support member, the cushioning assembly including at least two resilient elements located on the pair of parallel crossbars, wherein the resilient elements are located adjacent a front end of the support member and act upon lateral edges of the support member, wherein each of the resilient elements has an undulating surface positioned substantially perpendicular to the direction of compression-cushioning.
 2. A treadmill for use by a user for at least one of exercise and rehabilitation, comprising: a base; a movable belt forming a closed loop path, the belt being supported above the base, wherein the movable belt has an upper surface upon which the user performs at least one of exercise and rehabilitation; a drive assembly for driving the belt; a pair of parallel crossbars; a support member located beneath at least a portion of the movable belt for supporting the user, wherein the support member extends substantially parallel to the pair of parallel crossbars; a mounting assembly for locking a rear end of the support member to the pair of parallel crossbars, wherein the mounting assembly includes at least two fixing elements acting perpendicular to the support member; and a cushioning assembly for cushioning the support member, the cushioning assembly including at least two resilient elements located on the pair of parallel crossbars, wherein the resilient elements are located adjacent a front end of the support member and act upon lateral edges of the support member, wherein each of the resilient elements has an undulating upper surface, wherein the surface faces the board. 